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US 12,703,316 B2Granted
System and method to reduce viscous losses of electric vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorWilliam Rey Patterson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for cooling and delivering oil for an electric vehicle are described. In one example, viscosity of oil and resistance to oil flow of an oil circuit reduce oil flow through a cooling circuit so as to reduce powertrain losses that may be related to oil viscosity. At higher temperatures, the viscosity of oil allows the oil to flow through the cooling circuit and lower a temperature of an electric machine.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- an electric machine;
- a gearbox mechanically coupled to the electric machine and wheels of a vehicle, the gearbox including lubricating passages or conduits;
- an oil sump configured to receive returned oil from the electric machine and the gearbox;
- an oil pump configured to draw oil from the oil sump;
- an oil cooler;
- and
- a first oil passage or conduit extending from the oil pump to a second oil passage or conduit that extends to the oil cooler, the first oil passage or conduit also extending to a third oil passage or conduit that extends to the lubricating passages or conduits, the first oil passage or conduit extending from the oil pump, the second oil passage or conduit, and the third oil passage or conduit, not including control valves to control a flow of oil to the lubricating passages and the electric machine, wherein the oil cooler and the lubricating passages or conduits of the gearbox are configured such that oil flow is passively directed through one or both of the oil cooler and the lubricating passages or conduits based on a first flow resistance of the oil cooler, a second flow resistance of the lubricating passages or conduits, and oil viscosity.
4 more elements
A method for an electric powertrain, comprising:
- pumping oil from a sump through a passage or conduit that extends from an oil pump to a second passage or conduit and a third passage or conduit, the second passage or conduit extending to an oil cooler, the third passage or conduit extending to lubrication circuits of a gearbox, the gearbox mechanically coupled to an electric machine, and an absence of control valves positioned along the passage or conduit, the second passage or conduit, and the third passage or conduit, wherein direction of oil flow is controlled by a combination of oil viscosity due to oil temperature and a resistance to oil flow of the oil cooler.
A system, comprising:
- an electric machine;
- a gearbox mechanically coupled to the electric machine and wheels of a vehicle, the gearbox including lubricating passages or conduits;
- an oil sump configured to receive returned oil from the electric machine and the gearbox;
- an oil pump configured to draw oil from the oil sump;
- an oil cooler;
- an oil passage or conduit extending from the oil pump to a second oil passage or conduit that extends to the oil cooler, the oil passage or conduit also extending to a third oil passage or conduit that extends to the lubricating passages or conduits, the oil passage or conduit extending from the oil pump, the second oil passage or conduit, and the third oil passage or conduit, not including control valves to control a flow of oil to the lubricating passages and the electric machine;
- a first oil circuit including the oil cooler and the electric machine;
- and
- a second oil circuit including the lubricating passages, wherein flow of oil through the first oil circuit is substantially prevented when oil temperature is below the threshold temperature due to a combination of a flow resistance of the first oil circuit relative to the second circuit and a viscosity of the oil when below the threshold temperature.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.